Rack mount systems are standardized systems for mounting electronic equipment such as computer servers in a vertical, stacked configuration. For example, a common standard rack mount system is the 19 inch rack system (Electronic Industries Alliance—EIA 310-D) so named because the overall rack width in the system is 19 inches. A rackmount system typically comprises a cabinet with an open front and back which allows access to electronic components mounted in the rackmount system and encourages dissipation of excess heat from the electronic devices. A typical rackmount system, such as a 19-inch rack system, includes a set of parallel rails that runs vertically along the front of the cabinet. The rails are pierced at regular intervals with mounting holes for mounting electronic devices, and electronic devices are generally mounted in the rackmount system by fastening the electronic device to the rails via bolts or via a set of clips attached to the electronic device.
The mounting holes in the rails of a typical 19-inch rackmount system are positioned in groups of three. Each group of three mounting holes is spaced apart in 1.75 inch increments referred to as “units” (sometimes written as “U”). Generally, a rackmount electronic device is sized to according the number of units of vertical space that the device requires. For example, a rackmount server may be three units high while a switch may be two units high. If both devices are to be mounted in the same rackmount system, a total of five units of free space would need to be available in the rackmount system.
An electronic device in a rackmount system often must communicate with other electronic devices in the rackmount system. Data cables are typically used to carry data signals between the electronic devices. As the number of components in the rackmount system increases, the number of and length of the data cables can make the cables difficult to maintain. One solution is to bundle cables together and/or use cable harnesses when routing data cables through the rackmount system. However, the cables still must be custom cut to the proper length by hand, and tracking down of faults in the system can become extremely difficult.
Furthermore, the data cables themselves can add latency to data communications between components. As the length of data cables increases, electrical signals must travel across longer lengths of cable which not only increases the length of time that signals take to reach their destination, but may also increase the likelihood of distortion, noise, and/or interference detrimentally affecting signal quality.
Blade server systems provide one alternative to rack-mount server systems. Blade servers are self-contained computer servers with a small profile that enables a large number of servers to be installed in a smaller space. Blade servers typically have a smaller profile than rackmount servers, because blade servers do not include a number of components typically included in typical rack-mount servers such as separate cooling components, power supplies, and networking components. Unlike typical rackmount servers, blade servers rely upon a blade server enclosure to provide services such as power, network connectivity, and cooling. Thus, blade server systems require specialized electronic devices designed to operate with blade server systems, and typical rackmount devices such as rackmount computer servers are not compatible with blade server systems. Therefore, blade server systems are not always adequate solution for implementing computer server systems.
A solution adapted to use rackmount electronic devices while decreasing the number and length of data cables required to interconnect electronic devices in a typical rackmount system is required.